ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026): Industrial Mobile Robots Safety

In a busy distribution center, people, forklifts, equipment, and inventory are constantly on the move. Adding an industrial mobile robot (IMR) introduces another moving element that must safely navigate this dynamic environment, while it performs various important tasks like material handling, assembly support, towing and lifting, quality control, and waste removal. ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026), Industrial Mobile Robots – Safety Requirements – Part 1: Requirements for the Industrial Mobile Robot specifies safety requirements for IMRs.

How Industrial Mobile Robots Differ From Traditional Robots

Mobile robots accounted for 32% of U.S. robotics revenue in the packaging and processing industry in 2025 and are projected to reach 45% by 2031.

Unlike traditional industrial robots that typically operate within a defined, stationary workspace, industrial mobile robots (IMRs) can move through the facility and interact with changing surroundings. ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026) addresses unique challenges that can arise with IMRs by establishing safety requirements and emphasizing that safety should be considered from the beginning of the robot’s design.

What Is ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026)?

ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026) is Part 1 of the R15.08 Series. R15.08 Part 1 provides guidance so that robotics manufacturers can design and produce industrial mobile robots (IMRs) that operate with acceptable risk in a specified operating environment (SOE) documented by the manufacturer. It describes basic hazards associated with IMRs in an industrial environment (see Clause 3.12), and provides requirements to eliminate, or adequately reduce, the risks associated with these hazards.

Defining Industrial Environments for Mobile Robot Safety

For the purposes of ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026), “industrial” pertains to the production of goods and related services and environments, including but not limited to manufacturing, laboratory, pharmaceutical, warehousing, distribution, logistics, and other workplaces not traditionally considered strictly “industrial.” This standard is intended to provide guidance primarily for use in structured and semi-structured industrial environments where the people interacting with the system have been trained in the safe interaction with the industrial mobile robots (IMRs)/industrial mobile robot fleet (IMRF).

The American National Standard emphasizes the importance of safety that is designed in from the start, the crucial need for risk assessment as an iterative process, and key information (i.e., “information for use”) to be transmitted to the system integrator and ultimately the end-user of the IMR.

The R2026 edition is a reaffirmation of the original publication with no technical differences from the original text (2020 edition).

Updated Standard Designation Reflects A3 Name Change

The designation of this document has been updated from ANSI/RIA R15.08-1-2020 to ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026) to reflect a change in the name of the responsible standards developing organization (SDO), formerly known as the Robotic Industries Association, now the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). This change is editorial in nature and does not affect the technical content, scope, or application of the document.

ANSI/A3 R15.08 Standards Series for Industrial Mobile Robots (IMR)

The R15.08 series addresses different stages the lifecycle of an industrial mobile robot.

Part 1, ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026), specifies safety requirements for the IMR to be produced by the manufacturer.
Part 2, ANSI/A3 R15.08-2-2023, specifies safety requirements for IMR(s) adapted for particular applications and deployed in a particular operating environment, as well as collections of IMRs operating as part of a system, also known as an industrial mobile robot fleet (IMRF).
Part 3, ANSI/A3 R15.08-3-2026, describes user responsibilities for safe operation of IMR applications in the specific operating environment.

Together, these parts help establish a safety framework that extends from robot design through integration and operation.

Where to Find ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026)

ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026), Industrial Mobile Robots – Safety Requirements – Part 1: Requirements for the Industrial Mobile Robot is available on the ANSI Webstore, the best place to buy A3 Standards.

ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026) is also available in the Standards Packages:

ANSI/A3 R15.08-1-2020 (R2026) was developed by The Association for Advancing Automation (A3).

Please direct any technical questions relating to this American National Standard to the developer. You can find the contact information for all ANSI-accredited standards developers here: List of ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers (ASDs).

For further information, please refer to: Who to Contact for Standards Related Questions.